Proximal monitoring device

Abstract

The invention relates to a proximal monitoring device comprising a ring defining a volume in which a plurality of cameras is mounted. The cameras have fields that are angularly distributed around said ring and at least one of the cameras is associated with a device for scanning azimuthally in a plane normal to a central axis of the ring.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A proximal monitoring device, comprising a housing defining a volume in which a plurality of cameras are mounted that have fields that are angularly distributed around the housing, at least one of the cameras being associated with an azimuth scanning device for scanning azimuthally in a plane that is normal to a central axis of the housing, wherein the cameras are mounted in pairs on moving bracket plates for interchanging the positions of the cameras, each pair being mounted on a respective moving bracket plate, and the cameras in each pair being sensitive to mutually different wavelengths. 
     
     
       2. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the camera associated with the scanning device has a field that is smaller than a field of the other cameras, at least parallel to the scanning plane. 
     
     
       3. The device according to  claim 1 , the cameras comprising first cameras and second cameras, and the first cameras having a field that is larger than a field of the second cameras. 
     
     
       4. The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the first cameras are color cameras, and the second cameras are monochrome camaras, or vice versa. 
     
     
       5. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rotary prism mounted between at least one of the cameras and a porthole, the rotary prism being actuated by a motor drive assembly controlled by a control unit that is also connected to an inertial measurement unit for measuring movements of the housing. 
     
     
       6. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cameras is mounted on a platform that is stabilized in elevation. 
     
     
       7. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cameras is a multi-field camera. 
     
     
       8. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the cameras is associated with an azimuth scanning device for scanning azimuthally.